Massaging device



Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES MASSAGING DEVICE Folke Lindberg, Chicago, 111.

Application March 14,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to vibrators and devices for massage purposes and more particularly to a portable hand massaging device, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of improved means for adjusting the degree of vibration to be imparted through the hand of an attendant to any part of the human anatomy by direct contact with the patient. v

Numerous types of massage devices have heretofore been proposed for attachment to the hand and serving as a medium of imparting vibration to the body of the patient. It is desirable that the degree of vibration may be varied within a Wide range depending upon the wishes and requirements of the patient as well as the part of the human anatomy that is intended for massaging. The adjusting or control means for portable hand vibrators must not be too intricate or encumber the device owing to the fact that such must be portable for convenient application to any part of the human anatomy. To this end, it is proposed to provide a portable hand vibrating device having improved adjusting means to control the degree of vibration to be imparted through the hand of the attendant for personal 7 treatment to the patient.

7 Still another object is to provide improved portable hand attaching meansin conjunction with a mechanical portable vibrator to convey the vibrations as well as serve as a'vibration adjusting expedient therefor. I i

A further object is to provide an eccentrically mounted member with driving means therefor together with a hand mount that is adjustable relative thereto to afford varying the degree of vibration.

the degree of vibration.

Still a further object is to provide a shaft housing having an eccentrically mounted memberdriven by a shaft journalled therein together with hand mounting means adjustable along the.

A still further object is to provide a simple, ads justable, and inexpensive portable vibrator for I application to the hand through a support that has an adjustable connection therewith to vary 1938, Serial No. 195,757

shaft housing to vary the degree of vibration produced therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a portable hand vibrating mechanism connected through a flexible shaft to a power source, part of the flexible shaft being broken away to clarify the showing. 1 1

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a vibrating head and its hand attachment showing the manner of directing the vibrations to the hand for application to the body of the patient.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation'taken substantially along line III--III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a shaft housing bearing which connects with the hand bracket.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a segmental member that is eccentrically mounted to a shaft rotating at a high speed to create the'desired vibration.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken substantially alone line VI-VI of Figure 3.

' Figure '7 is a plan view of the hand attaching bracket shown in the-preceding figures.

The structure selected for illustration comprises a source of power such as an electric motor 10 which has base lugs ll serving as an attaching expedient therefor and mounted on a substantially flat base member l2 serving to support the motor Ill on any suitable surf-ace such as a floor. The base 12 has an upstanding standard l3 terminating in a substantially inverted U-shaped yoke l4 provided with horizontally aligned'bearings l5 and IS, the latter being the free terminus of the yoke l4 and is axially aligned with the bearing [5 constituting the terminus of the upstanding standard I 3. As shown, the standard I3 together with its yoke I4 is preferably provided with lateral ribs l'l'that serve to rigid the structure and render such capable of sustaining an appreciable load.

The rigid shaft 18 is journalled in the bearings l5 and l6to carry a pulley l9 having an enlarged .hub zflthrough which a set screw 2| extends to engage the shaft IS. The pulley I9 is aligned with a pulley 22 mounted on the armature shaft of the motor 10 to receive an, endless belt 23 thereover. The belt 23 is in frictional engagement withthe periphery of the aligned pulleys l9 and 22 so as. to impart rotation to the shaft I 8, responsive to the operation of the motor Ill provided with a suitable control switch 24. The motor 58 may be rendered adjustable relative to the base lugs l i so as to vary the tension in the endless belt 23 should occasion arise therefor over an extended period of time.

As shown, the rigid shaft ll extends through the bearing it for confinement in a tubular rigid sleeve 25 that terminates in an enlarged tubular portion 26 serving to receive the exterior flexible tubular cable 27. The shaft l8 within the tubular sleeve 25 terminates in a tubular extension 28 that receives the extremity of a flexible shaft 29 disposed within the tubular flexible cable 21. The extremity of the tubular shaft 29 is rigidly connected to the tubular portion 28 of the rigid shaft It so that rotation of the motor Ill will impart corresponding rotation tothe flexible shaft 293 confined in the cable 2'! that may be of any desired length depending upon the dictates of commercial practice for connection to a vibrating mechanism which will be presently described.

The other extremity of the flexible shaft 2? terminates in a tubular sleeve 3b which is similar in construction and purpose to the sleeve 25 described supra. The cable ll is mounted in the tubular sleeve 36 for fixed attachment thereto while the flexible shaft is journalled in an elongated bearing 3i that is pressed into the interior of the sleeve (Figure 3) the flexible shaft 29 extending therethrough for attachment within the tubular extremity 32 of the rigid stubshaft 3%. The rigid stub shaft 33 is journalled in an elongated cylindrical housing at that terminates in an enlarged chambered casing body member or casing 35. The casing 351s circular in configuration to receive a segmental wcight 35 conforming in general configuration with the chambered interior ti thereof. The segmental weight 36 has, in part, a circular periphery 2 8 conforming in curvature with the casing interior 3?, and is provided with a bore as theretlirough which normally would be the center of the weight 36 in the event it was a complete circular disc member. The weight 35, however, is cut away to provide a segmental member with the bore 39 serving as an axis of the circular periphery 353 to form an eccentric with the shaft 33 projecting through the bore 38.

A set screw 4? extends radially through the aperture to provided in the segmental member 36 to communicate with the normally disposed bore 3% so as to retain the segmental member 35 in fixed connection with the shaft 33 that serves to rotate the weight 35 eccentrically Within the chambered interior 3! of the casing 35. A closure top member 12 threadedly engages the peripheral threaded orifice d3 of the casing to enclose the chambered interior 3? thereof and to serve as a bearing member for the extremity M of the shaft the closure t2 being provided internally with a suitable recess 45 to receive the extremity Ml cf the shaft as and externally with a smooth uninterrupted convex end to serve as a body contacting surface to impart a vibratory movement thereto. The segmental weight 'or eccentric 35 is spaced from the bottom at of the chambered interior 3'! by means of a shim plate or disc ll and by a corresponding shim or disk 38 from the interior surface of the casing closure 52, the shims or discs d! and 48 enveloping the shaft 33 in serving to permit the free rotation of the eccentric ti within the casing interior 3'! responsive to the corresponding rotation of the shaft 33 that is operatively connected to the source of power, in this instance, an electric motor l0.

It will be apparent that rotation of the shaft 3-3 through the mediurn of the flexible shaft 29 will impart vibratory effects to the casing 35 and its shaft 34, which is preferably transferred to a bracket plate 50. The bracket plate 50 is shaped to conform with the top contour of the fingers and knuckles as indicated at 5| so as to lie flush with and serve as a complement of the fingers E2 of the human hand 53. To this end, pads 54 and E5 of rubber or other suitable material are adhesively or otherwise associated with the contoured portion 5! of the bracket plate 50 that is provided with oppositely disposed parallel slots 56. and Eil for receiving straps 58 and 59, respectively, there'through to envelop all of the fingers 52 of the human handv 53. In consequence. thereof, the bracket plate 5|] may be attached to the upper finger surfaces of the human hand 52-3 so as to serve as a tiltable mount for the vibrator casingtli, the bracket plate 50 being provided with upstanding standard 69.

The upstanding standard to is, in this instance,

formed integral with the bracket plate 50 and is suitably shaped at the upper extremity thereof to loosely receive a cylindrical bushing 61. The

cylindrical bushing ii! is provided with pinions i322 and fiii that extend diametrically from the exterior thereof to serve as a rockable support 0 therefor. The top bearing retaining plate 64 fits over andserves as a complement of the top extremity of the bracket plate standard Bil which loosely receives the bushing that is tiltable within a limited range about its pinions 62-E3 disposed therebetween. The bearing retention plate 6'4 is secured by suitable fasteners such as threaded studs 65 projecting through apertures in the edge flanged portion 66 thereof to limit the vibratory effect imparted thereto by the rotation of the eccentric 36. Of course, the motor ill may be of the variable speed type and have a suitable standard rheostat or speed control operatively connected therewith.

As shown, the bushing 6i is provided with interior threads El to engage corresponding threads 58 provided along the exterior of the elongated shaft 36 to enable the adjustment of the hand attaching bracket plate fill relative to the eccentric weight to vary the degree of vibration that will be produced. or imparted to the rockably associated standard 60 in consequence of the rotation of the flexible shaft 2t. Suitable lock nuts E i and ill threadedly engage the exterior 65 of the housing 34 so as to retain the bracket plate 55 in adjusted position against any possible accidental displacement along the housing 34. The shaft housing 34 is rigidly connected to he sleeve 33 through an enlarged peripheral portion ll constituting an integral extension of sleeve to having an inner threaded surface to securely engage the interior t.. reads of the shaft housing M thereby establishing a rigid connection between the sleeve til and the shaft housing 34 to insure operative rotation of the flexible shaft 255 therethrough for connection with the rigid stub shaft 33.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the Dositionin'g of the bracket plate to with its lug 60 at the extreme rearward position along the cylindrical housing 34 adjacent the sleeve extension it will provide maximum vibration, while the positioning thereof along the shaft housing 34 adjacent the casing 35 will provide for minimum vibration with an intermediate vibratory fore, that a very simple, inexpensive, and efeffect being procured between these two'limits- This adjustment can be effected by merely loosening the lock nuts 69-'Ifl and threading the bracket plate with its lug 60 relative to the shaft housing 34. .With the lug 68in its adjusted position along the shaft housing 3 1, thelock nuts 69lii are again tightened to preclude accidental displacement. It will be apparent, therecept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: n t l. Ina device of the character described, the

combination with a casing, of a shaft extending into said casing, a member eccentrically mounted on said'shaft' in'said casing, a shaft housing ,ex--

tending from said casing to receive a driving member for connection to said casing shaft, a

hand bracket mount associated. with said shaft housing for manipulating said casing, a hand.

massaging gripping member rockably I connected to said bracket mount transversely of said shaft axis for free longitudinal rockable. movement in the plane thereof, and means for adjusting said bracket mount longitudinally along said shaft housing relative to said casingand independent of said rockable connection between said gripping member and said-hand bracket mount to vary the vibratory effect produced at said mount by rotating said eccentric member,

-2. In a device of the character described, the

combination with a casing, of ashaft extending into said casing, a member eccentrically mounted on said shaft in said casing, an externally threade ed shaft housing extending from said casing, a

hand bracket mount threadedly associated with said shaft housing for manipulating said casing,

a hand massaging gripping member rockably associated with said mount, and locking means for said hand bracket mount effective after adjusting said mount longitudinally along said shaft housing relative to said casing to vary the vibratory effect'produced at said mount by rotating said eccentric member; 3. In a device of the character described, the

combination with a casing, of a shaft journalled in said casing, a weight member .eccentrically mounted to saidshaft in said casing, an uninterrupted convex end closure plate for said casing to serve as a body contacting surface to impart a vibratory movement thereto, saidclosure plate receiving the end of said shaft in-saidcasingfor.

journalled support therein, power means for rotating said shaft to create a vibratory effect from the rotation of said weight member, a' shaft housing extendingfrom said casing, a handv bracket mount associated with'said shaft housing for manipulating said. casing, a hand massaging gripping member rockably connected to saidbracket mount, transversely of said shaft the plane. thereof, and means for adjusting said hand bracket mount longitudinally along the said shaft relative tosaid casing and independent of said rockable connection' between said gripping "axis for free longitudinal rockable movement in member and said hand bracket mount to vary,

the'vibratory effect produced at said mount by rotating said eccentric member. I

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a tubular shaft housing communicating with the interior of said I casing, a shaft journalled in said casing for extension into saidcasing, a weight member eccentrically mountedon said shaft insaid casing, I q

a hand bracket plate extending fromsaid shaft housing, a cylindrical bearing on said shaft housing, bearing means threaded to the exterior of said shaft housing for adjusting said hand bracket plate therealong' to vary the vibratory effect produced at said mount by theconstantly rotating weight member, and a bearing cap-associated with said bracket plate for retaining said cylindrical bearing connected therewith.

5. In a device of the character described, the 'combination with a casing, of a tubular shaft housing communicating with the interior of said casing, a shaft journalled in said casing for extension into said casing, a weight member eccentrically mounted onfsaid shaft insaid casing, a hand bracket plateextending from said shaft housing, a cylindrical bearing on saidv shaft housing, bearing means threaded to the'exterior of said shaft housingfor adjusting said hand bracket plate ,therealong to vary the vibratory effect produced at said mount by the constantly rotating Weight member, a bearingcap associated with said bracket plate for retaining said cylindrical bearing connected therewith, and means for. locking said cylindrical bearing against adjustment along said shaft housing. i

FOLKE 

